Topics of Discussion

Still early days yet... things will start moving in the next few weeks.

I read somewhere that the contract period for a footballer traditionally runs from July to June - so managers may have their targets lined up, but not much tends to happen until July 1st onwards.

Very true HOB. Most players contracts will terminate by the end of June, the better ones will be waiting until the last minute to commit to a club.

I read again today that Dougie is willing to sell players to bring in more transfer funds. It really does look likely that we will see either Clyne, Ambrose or Zaha leave the club.

Im not sure who id rather we sold. Abrose when on form is our best player by far. Clyne is my fav but he seems to be looking for a move anyway and then Zaha is probs more willing to hang around and improve but he could be replaced or even improved on.

We have been linked to lower league players today. Barnet winger Mike Marshall and non league left full back Ryan Watts. With the signing of Moxey and the emergence of Parsons last year I dont see why Dougie would be interested in a 23 year old non league left back. Mike Marshall is a winger and I think Dougie is obviously keen on signing a winger but I know next to nothing about him.

Nothing too exciting just yet...but im waiting and watching lol

"...Ambrose when on form is our best player by far..."

True enough - but last season he was very disappointing. That might have been down to the niggling injury, but on the basis of last year alone, I think I'd rather see him go than either Clyne or Zaha.

Problem is that I don't think we'd get a lot for him: whereas (if the Palace management have their heads screwed on) we should get a very handy sum indeed for either of Clyne or Zaha.

I'd like to think that Zaha looked at the likes of Bostock & decided that the Premiership grass isn't always greener: better to spend another season as a more or less guaranteed first team player and improve his reputation.

We all know Clyne is bound for bigger things: it's going to be a question of when - not if - he goes. The question is whether he'd be tempted to hang on for longer at Selhurst, and then whether we could negotiate a crafty contract extension, in the full knowledge that he'd probably be off to the Premiership at some stage during the season - but at least we'd be sure of getting top dollar for him.

I'm of the opinion though that I'd rather see Zaha go than Scannell, Ambrose or anyone else in that position any day of the week. If we can get a bid of £1m+ for Zaha I'd bite that person's hand off.

1 goal, 4 assists and 2 red cards in 44 appearances. His performances picked up towards the end of the season, but that is a shocking set of statistics for the position he plays. He loses the ball too often and his distribution and finishing are pretty poor. When you think that selling him could bring in 2 or 3 decent players, I'd be happy for him to go. He is nothing on what Moses was at that age.

Clyne on the other hand is definitely not signing a new contract. He played the whole of last season on one of the lowest wages at the club, which he could have sorted at any point. He will not sign a new deal, so he either goes now for money or next season for a few hundred grand. Given our need to bring in new players, again, £1.5m odd for Clyne meaning 3 good players coming in is a deal we have to be taking.

I'd like to think that Zaha looked at the likes of Bostock & decided that the Premiership grass isn't always greener:
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I'm not so sure Wilf thinks that way bud. The way he plays is generally greedy, therefore i think that is his personality so if he thinks he can do better elsewhere then i won't be surprised, or too bothered for tbh.
As for any new players, i'm a bit surprised that we are still looking at the bottom of the barrel as opposed to 'lower-middle'.
Long way to go though

Well thats the dilemma. Who to cash in on.

Clyne may want out.

Abrose is the oldest and had a poor season because of injury.

Zaha is player who adds the least to the first team and who I feel we could replace with a quality signing.

I would prefer we kept them all and added to the squad but my head is telling me to expect one to go and the choice will be made for us based on who we get bids for. I think that will mean a bid from QPR for Ambrose and maybe another bid from Wolves for Clyne.

Id hate to see them both leave and I think as for at the moment in time Ambrose would be the hardest to replace. I say that because if Dougie can find a right sided Moxey for 250k then maybe its a hit we could take.

We don't really know if there is a ready made replacement for Clyne (except maybe Wright who is not young) as he is always in the side. On that basis I would keep him if at all possible. Ambrose can do the almost impossible but had a relatively poor season last time out so a decent offer would not go amiss.
Danns had a decent season again and is the glue (like Watson was) who is always asking for the ball and rarely gives it away easily and often does something with it.
So in order
1) Zahar
2) Ambrose
3) = Danns and Clyne
But as Hudson says it depends most on the offer and who it's for.

Danns is irrelevant. He hasn't signed a new deal and will not sign a new deal but either way we'd not get money for him that we can invest in new players.

Hi all! Good discussion going on here.

I for one think we should sell Clyne at a decent price. We have to accept that he wants to go - he's ready for the next step. He should also be the one to command the highest transfer fee.

As for Ambrose, he had the season of his life and then a bad one, due to injury (and being played out of position, IMO). I hope we can keep hold of him and make better use of his qualities next season!

By the way, Steve Browett made clear that we DO NOT have to sell first to buy on the BBS... A few of Dougie's recent statements in the press have been a bit irritating IMO.

I would personally say we should sell Clyne as he is our biggest asset. Sell for 1.5 - 2 million and reinvest on at least 3 players i think is the way to go. A half decent RB for the championship probably wouldn't be that hard to find as a replacement.
After last season Ambrose would be worth a lot less than the season before, but if Dougie can play him in his best position maybe he will bang in the goals again.

I find Dougies statement about selling before bringing anyone in a little bit worrying as we need replacements desperately otherwise we will be in another relegation scrap.